The World's Ruined: Christianity and Liberalism, a short review...

Saturday, March 31, 2012

Christianity and Liberalism, a short review...

Christianity and Liberalism by J. Gresham Machen

When J. Gresham Machen wrote Christianity and Liberalism (152 pages) in 1923 it was more than just a straightforward presentation of biblical Christianity. It was an expose´ of the liberal doctrinal drift in the Presbyterian Church. And, it was a clarion call for a return to the centrality of the “message” of the gospel as that which uniquely makes the Church Christian. When Machen published this little but powerful book it was received by many as controversial. He not only took issue with those who were distancing themselves from historic Christianity, but he defined their liberal teachings as “another religion,” fundamentally different from the true Christian faith. It was a doctrinal call-to-arms and his message remains not only relevant today, but necessary.

The book is divided into six chapters: Doctrine, God and Man, The Bible, Christ, Salvation, and The Church. Machen defines Christianity not as a moral way of life, an experience of God, or a means of the betterment of man. Rather, Christianity is about an event, something that happened in history. And it is about the meaning of that event. Throughout the book, Machen reinforces the good news that Jesus died to save sinners as the essence of the religion of the Bible.

Machen, as did the Reformers, calls men and women back to the message of Paul and the other apostles. It is the liberating message of the “blessed gospel of the Cross” which announces that God saves the ungodly apart from any works of their own. Indeed, it is by His grace alone through faith alone in our Savior Christ Jesus that we are both found and kept. Those who take the time to read Christianity and Liberalism will find clarity and comfort in Machen’s words as well as a convincing case for “another Reformation in God’s good time.”

1 comment:

RoxyApril 1, 2012 at 3:53 PM
Yes! The church needs to get back to the simplicity of the gospel-Christ and Him crucified. As usual, the enemy is luring people with the promise of power, of making a name for themselves. Some seek to reinvent Christianity, to deny the very Word so they can gain a following. Liberalism is considered to be superior, while fundamentalism has become a dirty word. _Christianity and Liberalism _is timeless, yet so very timely!
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The Mere Mercy of God

This calling of Abram is a signal instance of the gratuitous mercy of God. Had Abram been beforehand with God by any merit of works? Had Abram come to him, or conciliated his favour? Nay, we must ever recall to mind that he was plunged in the filth of idolatry; and God freely stretches forth his hand to bring back the wanderer. He deigns to open his sacred mouth, that he may show to one, deceived by Satan's wiles, the way of salvation.

But this is done designedly, in order that the manifestation of the grace of God might become the more conspicuous in his person. For he is an example of the vocation of us all; for in him we perceive, that, by the mere mercy of God, those things that are not are raised from nothing, in order that they may begin to be something.

-John Calvin, Genesis, (Banner of Truth), p. 343

"Nor the faith also does not shut out the justice of our good works, necessarily to be done afterwards of duty towards GOD (for we are most bounden to serve GOD, in doing good deeds, commanded by him in his holy Scripture, all the days of our life): But it excludes them, so that we may not do them to this intent, to be made good by doing of them. For all the good works that we can do, be imperfect, and therefore not able to deserve our justification: but our justification doth come freely by the mere mercy of God..." (Thomas Cranmer - Homily of Justification)

Justification-Sanctification/Law-Gospel

In short, I affirm, that not by our own merit but by faith alone, are both our persons and works justified; and that the justification of works depends on the justification of the person, as the effect on the cause. (John Calvin, Acts of the Council of Trent with the Antidote)

The law guides, directs, commands, all things that are against the interest and rule of sin. It judgeth and condemneth both the things that promote it and the persons that do them; it frightens and terrifies the consciences of those who are under its dominion. But if you shall say unto it, “What then shall we do? this tyrant, this enemy, is too hard for us. What aid and assistance against it will you afford unto us? what power will you communicate unto its destruction?” Here the law is utterly silent, or says that nothing of this nature is committed unto it of God: nay, the strength it hath it gives unto sin for the condemnation of the sinner: “The strength of sin is the law.” But the gospel, or the grace of it, is the means and instrument of God for the communication of internal spiritual strength unto believers. By it do they receive supplies of the Spirit or aids of grace for the subduing of sin and the destruction of its dominion… (John Owen, A Treatise of the Dominion of Sin and Grace)